FORUM
Sul web esistono alcuni forum in lingua inglese dedicati a Bali.
E' li che si trovano le ultime informazioni sui prezzi, le fregature,
gli alloggi, i posti dove andare e quali evitare.
In questa sezione ne ho copiati alcuni (in inglese), dateci una
letta e poi eventualmente andate a vedere la fonte.
Il nostro forum in italiano e' aperto per discutere qualsiasi
argomento!
Il
forum originale di Lonely Planet
PARTECIPA ALLE DISCUSSIONI!
When travelling to Indonesia your passportmust
be valid for at least six months after your departure date. As
my passport was only valid for four months (after my departure)
I was unable to enter the country.
Oliver Palyart, France (Oct 99)
Lombok/Bangsal - at the place where the boats to the Gili Islands
leave from: people try to sell things by telling everyone that
everything is very expensive on the islands. This is really a
tourist trap as they sell cigarettes, mosquito spray, etc. for
normal prices on the Gili islands.
Harm Linssen & Catelijne Markenstein, Netherlands (July 01)
Great fun in Bali indeed. One word about travelling there, especially
for those who are thinking about driving themselves. I had casual
talk with local people there. They explain to me why Balinese
drive crazy, and never follow traffic rules. Their religion has
been teaching them whereabouts of soul after death, and that is
the reason they are never afraid of traffic accident. If you don't
believe in re-birth, think twice before you contemplate driving
in Bali. Lots of wisdom, isn't it?
KM Chow, Hong Kong (Apr 01)
What to bring? Sleeping sheets are a necessity, as no Indonesian
guesthouse/losmen provides a top sheet. Earplugs are also a necessity.
They won't keep out the call of the muezzin, but are useful for
for bus/train trips as well as hotel rooms with dripping taps
or next to a waterfall.
In crowded areas it is wise to wear your daypack strapped to your
front, not as a backpack. It makes it less easy to slash. And
always lock your luggage that is going on top of a bus.
Lisa Jackson, (May 01)
Tina Foeste (nov 00)
Hiring Cars: Although it is the law to have an International Drivers
licence to hire a car or a motorbike in Bali, ther are many places
that will hire you a vehicle without one. You must be aware that
in this case you are breaking the law (conveniently omitted by
the sales rep). If you get stopped by the police they will fine
you £100 and probably take you to the station!
Gina Behrens, UK (Nov 00)
This is probably true everywhere, but you'll get a better exchange
rate for $100 bills or traveller's checks than smaller denominations.
Alot of guest houses offer breakfast included with the price of
the room. Inquire about this because they don't always tell you
up front.
Dan Coplan, USA (Oct 00)
Bali:To use a mosquito net is a real good idea! You can relax
and be sure that you won't wake up in the morning with a scorpion,
a spider, or a gecko in your arms.
Birgit Kurz, Denmark (Oct 00)
Bungalows do tend to use 25 watt light bulbs, and you can indeed
replace them with higher wattage bulbs for reading; but a fellow
traveler suggested to me that there may be a rationale to the
practice beyond saving electricity - that lower wattage bulbs
might attract fewer mosquitoes. As for mosquitoes, I hadn't a
single problem with mosquitoes at night in Ubud (late September).
Screened windows, mosquito nets, and bug spray simply isn't necessary
this time of year. Perhaps it's different on the coasts. If there's
boilerplate about mosquitoes, this ought to be ammended to reflect
reality.
Dana Nibby, USA (Oct 00)
Bali & Lombok, money changers: we discovered this year that
not all money changers are bad, and the good ones are not that
hard to spot. A bank authorised money changer is very honest and
their rates are always up to date (not necessary the best rate
you could find). They are easy to identify by several silver plaques
issued by the bank and also a certificate from the bank recognising
them as an authorised money changer. These money changers are
paid commission by the bank for all transactions. We used only
one money changer this year, and did not have one single problem,
we were cashing money everyday and had three people cashing money
at the same time.
Dean and Vicki, New Zealand (Sept 00)
Indonesian banks will no longer accept USdollars cash that is
dated any earlier than 1996. The new ones are easy to identify
as the head in the centre is very large. Also the bills need to
be in good condition not faded or worn in the centre. Bills larger
than 20 are the most acceptable. I know this sound silly as a
dollars a dollar but not in Indonesia if you want to get the best
rate available follow this advice.
Richard Walker, UK (Sept 00)
Bali: Don't feed the monkeys anything but bananas and papaya
leaves. Bread and peanuts are killing them! Also, in Ubud and
Lovina you can refil your plastic water bottles for a fraction
of the cost of buying new ones. Bali doesn't appear to have the
facilities to process plastic rubbish and the mountains of bottles
are getting higher. Responsible tourism - ensuring there's still
something left to see in 10 years time!
Irena, Australia (Sept 00)
While travelling in Bali, we discovered that Market stall holders
have a little code! If you receive your goods in a black bag this
means you are a good haggler and signals to other stall holders
that you will not be easily 'ripped off'. However if you get a
white bag it means you are a soft touch and signals that the other
stall holders can charge you extortionate amounts for your goods.
Anon (July 00)
Beware of money changers in Bali, the Kuta/Legian region in particular.
I speak Indonesian fluently, have visited Indonesia every year
over the past 15 years and thought I knew it all. When changing
A$200 I should have received Rp950,000, however when I returned
to my hotel I discovered I was Rp500,000 short. When changing
the money, I checked and double-checked: believe me, these guys
are good. My advice:
Go to an authorised money changer with a proper office.
Check the rates on the boards outside. If any office offers rates
more than Rp50 higher than any other place, don't bother.
Check you money when you receive it and give it to your partner
to hold. Don't let them near the money.
Take your own calculator; theirs are rigged.
Note the address of where you changed your money.
And the most important part: if you have been ripped off, go to
the Tourist Police. They're near Bemo corner, opposite where horses
and carts are waiting for customers. We went there a week after
the occurrence, explained the problem, they went with us to the
money changer and without any documentation or proof we were refunded
our Rp500,000.
Just a tip: be calm and positive. Tell the police calmly what
happened, ask for their assistance and be positive about any description,
even if you are not too sure. Don't lose your temper or raise
your voice.
Bernard Leigh, Australia (Mar 00)
In Bali, only use Bluebird Taxi or Bali Taxi. They are ridiculously
cheap and with these two companies there are no hassles. They
always use meters, their taxis are clean and their drivers are
courteous and know where they're going.
Bernard Leigh, Australia (Mar 00)
Kuta: All the terrible stories about the moneychangers in Kuta
are true, it's practically impossible to find an honest place
where you get what is written on the board outside. If you still
insist on changing your money there, there are a few things to
bear in mind:
- first of all, make sure there's no commission
- then ask if they have enough rupees to change your money
- never change more than US$100 at the same time
- put your money (say dollars) on the counter and don't let them
take it away or put it anywhere
- count ALL the money you get and make sure they do not touch
it afterwards
- leave immediately if you can't keep these rules
Kaposi Vikto, Hungary (Oct 01)
The surf break on Kuta Beach at the junction of Jalan Pantai and
Jalan Melasti is extremely and deceptively strong. My husband
got swept off his board because of the current and needed to be
rescued. There are body and surf boards to rent right on the break
but really it is better to go further along the beach as it is
not beginner's terrority!
Maria Benfield, UK (Aug 01)
I'd like to leave a message about the Gili Islands next to Lombok,
Indonesia. There are three of them, Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili
Terawangan, which they call the Party Island. It's true, it IS
a party island - but also an island where robberies and rapes
are happening! In April this year I spent two nights on Gili Terawangan
and there was a Beach party, it was nice sitting in the sand with
a cold Bintang beer. I had to go to the toilet which was placed
at the very back behind the warungs next to the promenade. As
I came out of the toilet, a local guy grabbed me from behind and
put a knife to my throat. He pulled me behind the house, then
lead me through a path in a field of high growing grass. This
guy wanted to rape me! Luckily I speak Bahasa so I whispered to
him, I was very polite and made myself small. I offered him all
my money, jewelery, whatever. He was not interested. After a while
I realized that there's nobody who would help me, that I had to
help myself......so I did. I waited for the right moment and squeezed
his balls as hard as I could. He wanted to attack me with his
knife so I grabbed the hand which held the knife, he pulled it
out and cut my hand. I started to scream and he run away.
I took the very first boat back to Bangsal/Lombok, wanting to
go directly to the police, but the police office was closed! So
I reported the incident to the police head office in Mataram.
They told me, that they know of 18 rapes in the last 1 1/2 years
just in Gili Terawanan! So, obviously, it happens a lot!
I don't want to stop people going to the Gilis, it's a very nice
place where you can have lots of fun. I just want to make sure,
that everybody is aware of these "happenings" there
and that NOBODY walks around the island alone!
Astrid, Germany (Aug 01)
Just got back from the Gili Islands, which was paradise, however
one thing that was not mentioned in any guidebook I read and no
warnings were given by locals: do not under any circumstances
try to swim between the Gili Islands! As a group of 12, 6 of us
thought it would be a great idea to swim from Gili Meno to Gili
Air, a distance of approx. 1km, in the end we couldn't be bothered
and that may just have saved some lives. I think a warning about
the strength of tides is essential, we were lulled into a sense
of false security bo our close to perfect surroundings.
Tomas Maltby (Mar 01)
When taking the ferry over to Lombok from Bali, one should watch
out for the hordes of eager "bellmen", awaiting the
arrival of the bus. These men will often grab your bags and carry
them to the ferry without even asking you. Despite this action's
friendly and hospitable appearance, it is anything but. The men
will hold onto your bags while shiving their palms into your face
and request payment. They decide how much is enough. If payment
is refused, some threaten to throw your bags overboard into the
ocean. I managed to wrestle my bag back from two men, but my friends
were not so lucky and I have talked to other travellers who had
the same thing happen to them. The end result is dolling out money
to a waiting hand until the recipient is satisified. Don't even
bother trying to get the police or security to help either, as
they will ignore you while the crooks prod you for cash.
Mike Jones, Canada (Feb 01)
The only problem I had on my trip was with a "temporary
tattoo" in Bali. There were lots of shops in the Kuta area,
but I got mine in the art market in Sanur. The ads all say that
they are painless, last two weeks and are henna tattoos. Well,
the painful pattern on my arm now that looks like a burn that
may last a lot longer than two weeks. I never gave it any thought
until I got home and the black started to fade and the itching
and pain started. After a quick search at Yahoo! for "allergy
to henna" I came up with lots of information on so called
"black henna" tattoos. It turns out that what the artist
(if he can be called that) probably used was not henna at all,
but a chemical called PDD, which is toxic and can cause liver
and kidney problems. Even worse for children. For more information
on this see: www.hennapage.com/henna/warnings.html and http://sphosting/reverendbunny/mediappd.htm
. I will be going to a doctor as soon as I can to have this looked
at with the above information in hand. I hope that there is no
permanent damage from this. I have also checked a Bali traveler's
forum and a search there revealed lots on this. Hind sight is
20/20 though isn't it.
Dale Grewcock (May 01)
Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali
A word of warning - There are loads of Indonesians milling around
with official-looking 'porter' uniforms. Don't let them wheel
your bags out for you if you're not prepared to pay them a tip.
My husband mistakenly thought the nice porter was our Club Med
representative sent to meet us. It wasn't until he guided us toward
the moneychangers in the arrivals hall and asked for a tip that
we realized our mistake. But we didn't stop there - we even allowed
him to coax us into giving him a 50,000 rupiah tip - approximately
NZD$12. And for this tip, he led us 10 metres outside to the Club
Med representative who was waiting outside.
Esma Bruno, New Zealand (Apr 01)
When in Bali, beware of the stuff called "Jungle Juice"
that they sell in clubs and pubs. They sell it for around $4 a
litre and the main ingredient is ARAK (similar to vodka, but around
10 times stronger). As I am only a small lass, I only had a quarter
of a litre over a period of 2 hours and I was violently ill for
the next 2 days.
Leah, Aust (Jan 01)
If you rent a surfboard, do look after it. The renters make holes
in the boards so you would have to pay for the repair. We paid
from 10.000 to 100.000. Of course some damage was our own fault.
Jukka aaltio, Finland (Nov 00)
Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia: There are several surfboards for
rent that have been repaired numerous times and are a lot weaker
as a result. I made the mistake of renting one and it broke on
me whereas a "healthy" board would never have broken.
The guys who rented me the board tried to soak me for $50 US for
repairs which is more than the whole board itself was worth. Needless
to say, it was a messy situation.
Always ask what the policy is before you rent a board that has
been repaired. Some guys are cool and will tell you you won't
be responsible. Other guys will try to ream you.
Dan Coplan, USA (Oct 00)
At Padangbai, on the way to Lombok from Bali, I have also encounted
the scam where locals take your bag without asking to the ferry.
They then demand, in a very threatening way, money. The solution
is to keep hold of your bags at all times. Vince Hill (Aug 00)
Ubud: Don't let yourself be ripped off at Besakih by so-called
official guides. You can enter the temple complex on your own
(it's much easier if you take a side entrance).
Noël and Monica Salazar, Belgium (Jul 00)
We have just returned from two weeks in Bali; we tried to climb
Gunung Batur Volcano, without guides. We were dropped off at our
intended starting point, but were met by aggressive, confronting
guides who told us they would stop us if we tried to climb 'their'
mountain. Their charge - 300,000 to 400,000 rupiah (about AUD$60
to $80) - Mafia-style extortion. The local policeman confirmed
with us that no longer are trekkers without guides welcome to
climb the volcano, since August/September of 1999. We refused
to climb Gunung Batur - how could we with such overt aggression
- and certainly felt we could not trust any of these guides to
care for us. A minibus of New Zealanders also refused the climb
with guides - there have been multiple fistfights with tourists
over this very matter.
Greg Jorgenson, Australia (Jul 00)
My sister and I crossed from Bali to Lombok on the ferry and
had a horrible experience. The bus company dropped us off at the
Perama bus information office/restaurant in Padangbai, near the
pier. When we asked what time the ferry to Lombok would leave,
we were told 1.30 pm. At 1 pm, these young guys came around and
started taking people's bags toward the pier and all of us went
along. When we were within 20ft of boarding the ferry, the ferry
left the dock without any of us! We yelled for the operators to
stop it, but they wouldn't. The young guys were laughing at us
(we had been told the wrong time on purpose), and taunting us
saying things like, 'now you have to stay in Padangbai; now you
have to spend money here'. When we asked what time the next ferry
was, they wouldn't tell us. I asked the men in uniforms at the
pier and they wouldn't speak to me. We waited a few hours for
the next ferry and while we waited, the men gathered around us,
trying to make us pay them for taking our bags (even though they
had done this without even asking us).
We did make it to Lombok that night. As the ferry pulled up to
the pier, a different band of young guys boarded the ferry from
Lembar and quickly located the travellers, yelling, 'Perama, Perama!'
(our bus company), so we followed them off the ferry. They grabbed
my sister's bag. She tried to get it back but they wouldn't let
her have it back. When we got to the Perama van, they demanded
10,000Rp for carrying her bag. I gave them about 4000Rp (partly
because that's what I had and partly because I didn't think we
should have to pay when they wouldn't give her bag back to start
with). The guys were pissed off that I wouldn't give them the
amount they were demanding. They kept on demanding it and when
they saw that I wasn't going to give it to them, they started
to take my sister's bag away. We got it back and got in the van
but they kept yelling at us and threatening us through the windows
and door of the van. They all gathered around the van and started
rocking the whole thing back and forth and told us we wouldn't
be able to leave until they got their money. The driver and another
traveller eventually managed to get the door closed and we got
away, but it was an awful way to be introduced to Lombok.
I would recommend two strategies: don't believe anything the bus
information office tells you about the ferry's departure time
and don't let anyone take any of your bags away from you. We were
lucky they were only demanding 10,000Rp; we've talked with another
traveller who experienced the same thing but the guys were demanding
100,000Rp!
Mara Benedict (Jun 00)
A friend of ours tried to enter Bali (Denpasar airport) with
no return flight ticket (he'd intended to leave Indonesia by ferry
to the Philippines and had checked this with the Indonesian consulate
in his home country which said it was OK to do so). But when facing
the immigration officer in Denpasar, he was forced to buy another
air ticket out of Indonesia.
Caroline Dupuis & Martin Gumm (May 00)
A word from an expat Kuta resident with a warning about money
changing. I suppose it’s just a sign of the economic times
in Indonesia, but money-changer rip-offs are really getting chronic.
Every trick from the rigged calculator to blatant theft seems
to be standard practice for the Kuta boys. My advice: got to a
bank. Although it may have a lower rate, the dodgy arithmetic
will be eliminated. It’s only a loss of around $2 to $3 in
the end. If you do catch someone trying to work a fast one, don’t
lose your cool (remember all that ‘saving face’ stuff).
Just smile, pick up your cash or traveller’s cheques and
walk out. They won’t try anything; they’re smart enough
to know you caught them!
Tim Birkett, Australia (Jul 99)
Travellers moan about Bali being spoilt but if you look around
there are still plenty of out-of-the-way places. My favourite
place was Bingin Beach, about 20 mins away from Kuta, near Ulu
Watu. It is a beautiful place just to ‘hang out’.
Will Rutter, UK (Nov 99)
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